Protection system for individual mobile objects

ABSTRACT

The invention integrates hardware and software for sensing, communications, data storage and control into a protection module that is sufficiently small and inexpensive to be attached directly to individual objects, such as musical instruments, and the inventory of stores and museums. Sensors monitor environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, and accelerometers alert owners to unwanted motion, such as theft or misuse. Sensed data is stored locally and transmitted wirelessly to nonproprietary data receivers, such as smart phones or tablets that generate alerts. In some embodiments the data is forwarded to cloud servers for storage and analysis. Bluetooth communication between the attached module and the data receiver allows large spaces, such as stores and showrooms containing many attached modules to be protected. In some embodiments accelerometers enable finger-tap-controlled recording of musical performance and tuning of the instrument relative to tonal frequencies stored in the module.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention pertains to the measurement of conditions and movementsthat are potentially harmful to valuable items and the wirelessgeneration of alerts based on these measurements. More specifically,environmental and motion-related data pertinent to the safety andsecurity of valuable items are sensed and communicated wirelessly to aremote receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art in this context consists of two types. First is the monitoringof the environment in spaces, such as homes, greenhouses or humidors;second is the remote control of environment altering equipment, such asair conditioners. Products sold by LaCrosse Technologies and Sensorconmonitor environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, inspaces. Focused as they are on spaces, as opposed to individual moveableobjects residing in spaces, such sensor/warning systems do not includemotion detectors.

Independently, existing monitors, because they are too large and heavy,cannot be attached to musical instruments without altering the musicalperformance of the instrument. Further, in order to offer practicalprotection of individual objects in a store or in a museum, themonitoring sensor system must be significantly less expensive than theobject itself. This is not the case.

Independently, patent application CN 203149795 describes a single-chipsystem that monitors temperature and humidity, it does not addressmotion detection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention combines hardware and software in a system that protectsvaluable items, such as musical instruments, objects of art and retailitems for sale. The hardware integrates sensors (temperature, humidity,and motion e.g.), data storage, wireless communication and a controllingmicroprocessor into a microelectronic module small and light enough tobe attached to a musical instrument without affecting its musicalperformance, and sufficiently inexpensive to attach to individual itemsin a store or museum. Software executes on both the module and on anonproprietary data receiver, such as a smartphone, and generatescell-phone and internet alerts based on data collected by one or moresensors on one or more modules. Different embodiments can include avariety of sensors, but embodiments described here all include anaccelerometer enabling motion detection in addition to the basicenvironmental factors, temperature and humidity. Some module embodimentsexploit the accelerometer by allowing finger taps to control themicroprocessor. For example, finger taps can initiate recording ofmusical output and storage of this output in the module's nonvolatilememory. Other embodiments exploit the accelerometer to record thehistory of shock or misuse of the protected item. In some embodiments,code running on the data receiver enables archiving and analysis of themodule data on cloud-based servers. The range of the wirelesscommunication between the module and the data receiver exceeds 30 m, andthe microprocessor stores data in non-volatile memory and transmits itonly when it senses that the data receiver is within range. The modulecan transmit data to multiple data receivers, transmitting module datato those data receivers that are within communication range. Someembodiments enable instrument tuning and recording.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Schematic diagram of a protection system for a mobile object,illustrated here by a musical instrument. A small light-weight moduleattached to the instrument collects, stores and transmits data includingaccelerometer data indicating (changes in) motion of the instrument. Thedata is transmitted using Bluetooth wireless communication to a datareceiver (in this illustration a smart phone) which generates alertsbased on the data, and may configure the attached module.

FIG. 2 Schematic diagram of a protection system for a mobile object,illustrated here by a musical instrument. A small light-weight moduleattached to the instrument collects, stores and transmits data includingaccelerometer data indicating (changes in) motion of the instrument. Thedata is transmitted using Bluetooth wireless communication to a datareceiver (in this illustration a smart phone) which generates alertsbased on the data, and may configure the attached module. Thisembodiment illustrates archiving of the data on cloud-based servers viathe internet.

FIG. 3 Schematic diagram of a protection system for a mobile object,illustrated here by a musical instrument. A small light-weight moduleattached to the instrument collects, stores and transmits data includingaccelerometer data indicating (changes in) motion of the instrument. Thedata is transmitted using Bluetooth wireless communication to a datareceiver which generates alerts based on the data, and may configure theattached module. In this embodiment the role of data receiver istransferred automatically by the attached module from a smartphone to apersonal computer because the smartphone has moved out of Bluetoothrange.

FIG. 4 Schematic diagram of the module component of the protectionsystem for a mobile object. The module comprises industry-standardcomponents, such as a microprocessor, non-volatile memory, ahumidity-temperature sensor and an accelerometer. Illustrative examplesof the specific components used in tested embodiments of the inventionare identified.

FIG. 5 Schematic diagram of the module component of the protectionsystem for a mobile object. The module comprises industry-standardcomponents, such as a microprocessor, non-volatile memory, ahumidity-temperature sensor and an accelerometer. Illustrative examplesof the specific components used in tested embodiments of the inventionare identified. FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 4 by the addition of microphoneand instrument-pickup components and the use of a differentmicrocontroller appropriate to embodiments designed to protect musicalinstruments

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a protection device that integrates modernmicroelectronic sensors, nonvolatile storage, wireless communicationcontrolled by a microprocessor into a module small enough, light enoughto be attached directly to a musical instrument without altering itsmusical performance. The sensors sense both environmental factors, suchas temperature and humidity, and motion factors, such as theft ormisuse. Additionally, the module is sufficiently inexpensive to beattached to the individual items in a retail store or museum. The moduleexploits modern computing and communication technology, such assmartphones and Bluetooth communication to generate alerts and toenhance enjoyment of musical instruments.

Common Aspects of All Embodiments

We begin with the aspects of the invention that are common to all theembodiments disclosed. The module is a printed-circuit board that,together with its protective case and battery weighs less than 25 grams.A schematic diagram of the module is shown in FIG. 4, which alsoprovides explicit industry-standard components that have be used intested embodiments of the invention. The size and weight of the moduleare similar to that of a half-dollar coin. The small weight of themodule is critical to its attachment to musical instruments, as heavierattachments alter the musical performance of the instrument. The moduleintegrates several microelectronic functions, including multiplesensors, nonvolatile memory, wireless communication and a microprocessorcontrolling the components. The microprocessor executes software thatcan be edited wirelessly from a personal computer, tablet or smartphone.The microprocessor controls data acquisition, storage and transmissionto a receiving device. In particular, the receiving device can generatean alert based on the data collected by multiple sensors.

The sensors include those monitoring environmental factors, such astemperature and humidity as well as an accelerometer that senses motionchanges. Motion detection enables alerts for theft or misuse and controlof the microprocessor by finger taps on the protected item. For example,a pattern of finger taps can initiate the recording of musicalperformance that is stored in the module's memory.

The module also contains a power supply, such as a battery and atransmitter and antenna for wireless communication. The power supplypowers the sensors, nonvolatile memory, communications hardware and themicroprocessor.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the wireless communication exploits an opencommunications protocol, such as Bluetooth, with a range of at least 30meters. This range and the low cost of the module enable the protectionof numerous individual items in a retail store or museum, for example.

The data receiver is a critical, but nonproprietary component of thesystem. It can be a personal computer, a tablet computer, a smartphoneor a Bluetooth hub. The module detects the presence of any of a storedlist of data receivers in communications range, and downloads sensordata stored in the module's nonvolatile memory. Optionally, as indicatedin FIG. 1, the data receiver can upload a copy this data to a cloudserver wherein any other data receiver not in physical range of themodule can receive data and alerts via the internet or cellularconnection.

Embodiment Options

Many embodiment options imply many possible embodiments. For example, asmentioned, the data receiver can be any of the commercially available“smart” communications devices, including PC, smartphone, tablet orBluetooth hub. The “smart” attribute implies that the data receiver canexecute a wide variety of application software, in particular,applications that generate alerts or warnings based on data receivedfrom the module. Such alerts can be based on data from a single ormultiple sensors or from multiple modules. For example, motion of aprotected item indicated by accelerometer data can be combined withincreased frequency of reporting of environmental data to protectagainst the possibility that the protected item is being moved to a lessdesirable environment.

Applications running on the data receiver can also report the loss ofcommunication with the module. This loss of communication could indicatetheft or misuse. As mentioned above, code executing on the module can beedited and configured from the data receiver.

The data received from the module and alerts based on such data can beforwarded to other cell phones or PCs or to cloud-based servers usingthe internet, as shown in FIG. 2. Cloud-based servers can collect, store(archive) and analyse the history of data from the module(s). Reportsbased on this data and its analysis can be distributed broadly ornarrowly. Just as the data receiver can generate an alert whencommunication with the module is lost, the cloud-based can report lossof communication with the data receiver. In both cases, the duration ofthe period without communication warranting an alert is configurable.

The module can also contain a clock allowing the sensor data to betimestamped. Using the clock together with the accelerometer enables thecreation of a shock history to be created for fragile items, forexample. The shock history can be stored in nonvolatile memory until themodule and data receiver are sufficiently close to one another to allowdownload.

Some embodiments include the reporting of charge levels on the module'sbattery power supply, and alerts when the charge level falls below aconfigurable level.

In some embodiments, such as that shown schematically in FIG. 3, themicroprocessor in the attached module scans for eligible data receiverswithin Bluetooth range of the module. Identities and addresses of“eligible” data receivers are stored in non-volatile memory on themodule, and form an ordered list. At any given time, the moduletransfers data to the single data receiver that is highest in the listof eligible receivers that are in Bluetooth range at that time.

Some embodiments of the invention are specialized to the protection andenhancement of musical instruments. These embodiments can include amicrophone and an instrument pickup in the module, as shown in FIG. 5.The protected musical instrument can be almost any type, but stringinstruments and woodwinds are especially natural. As mentioned, thesmall mass of the module is especially important for such embodiments.An embodiment option unique to its use with musical instruments is thestorage of reference tones for the tuning of musical instruments. Tonesproduced by the musical instrument to which the module is attached canbe compared to those stored on the module, enabling the instrument to beaccurately tuned.

The output of musical instruments can be input to other electronicequipment, such as amplifiers. The microprocessor on the module cancontrol such connections. One particular form of this control allows theuser to control this microprocessor functionality using finger tapssensed by the accelerometer.

1. A protection system for individual moveable objects comprising amodule that communicates wirelessly with a nonproprietary data receiverwherein said module comprises a printed circuit board that integratesmultiple sensors, memory, wireless-communication hardware and amicroprocessor that executes software controlling the acquisition,storage and communication of sensor data wherein said sensors measure atleast temperature, humidity and motion changes, and wherein said moduleis powered by a battery resident in said module, and wherein saidwireless communication transfers sensor data using the Low PowerBluetooth protocol to a nearby data receiver, and wherein the weight ofsaid module is rendered less than 25 grams by the use of low-power,short-range Bluetooth class 2 wireless communication and by maintainingthe module in low-power-consuming “sleep mode” unless and until saidmodule is “awakened” by the detection of motion or at a predefinedtiming interval.
 2. The protection system as in claim 1 wherein saiddata receiver runs software applications that control wirelesscommunication with said module.
 3. The protection system as in claim 1wherein said data receiver runs software applications that generatealerts based on said sensor data.
 4. The protection system as in claim 3wherein said data receiver runs software applications that generatealerts based on data from multiple sensors.
 5. The protection system asin claim 3 wherein said data receiver runs software applications thatgenerate alerts based on data from multiple modules.
 6. The protectionsystem as in claim 1 wherein said data receiver runs softwareapplications that generate alerts based on the loss of communicationwith said module.
 7. The protection system as in claim 1 wherein saiddata receiver runs software applications that enable the editing of saidsoftware executing on said module.
 8. The protection system as in claim1 wherein said data receiver is first member of a ordered list of datareceivers that is determined by said microprocessor on said module to bewithin communication range.
 9. The protection system as in claim 1wherein said data receiver runs software that enable the editing of saidsoftware executing on said module.
 10. The protection system as in claim1 wherein said module runs software that store sensor data innonvolatile memory until said data receiver is withinwireless-communications range, whereupon said sensor data is transferredto said data receiver.
 11. The protection system as in claim 1 whereinsaid microprocessor increases the rate at which sensor data is acquiredwhen said accelerometer indicates motion of said object to be protected.12. The protection system as in claim 1 wherein said data receivercopies said sensor data to a cloud-based server.
 13. The protectionsystem as in claim 12 wherein said sensor data copied to saidcloud-based server is analyzed, and reports are created based on saidanalysis.
 14. The protection system as in claim 12 wherein said sensordata is archived on cloud-based servers.
 15. The protection system as inclaim 12 wherein said cloud-based server sends alerts based on saidsensor data to designated recipients.
 16. The protection system as inclaim 15 wherein said designated recipient is a phone number or is aninternet mail address.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The protection system as inclaim 12 wherein said cloud-based server sends alerts when it has notcommunicated with said data receiver for a period of time, wherein saidperiod of time is configurable.
 19. The protection system as in claim 1wherein said module contains a clock enabling the time-stamping of saidsensor data and said time-stamped accelerometer data provides a shockhistory of said item to be protected.
 20. (canceled)
 21. The protectionsystem as in claim 1 wherein said data receiver is a smartphone, atablet, a personal computer, or a Bluetooth hub. 22.-24. (canceled) 25.The protection system as in claim 1 wherein said power supply is abattery and the charge on said battery is monitored and communicated tosaid data receiver.
 26. (canceled)
 27. The protection system as in claim1 wherein the item to be protected is a musical instrument and whereinsaid module includes an audio microphone.
 28. The protection system asin claim 27 wherein tonal frequencies stored in said nonvolatile memoryof the module are compared with those produced by the instrument fortuning.
 29. The protection system as in claim 27 wherein saidmicroprocessor controls the electrical connection between said musicalinstrument and other electronic equipment.
 30. The protection system asin claim 27 wherein said musical instrument is wooden.
 31. (canceled)32. (canceled)
 33. The protection system as in claim 27 wherein, whendata from said accelerometer indicates extended instrument inactivity,said microprocessor reduces the power consumption of components poweredby said power supply, wherein the inactivity duration deemed “extended”is configurable.
 34. (canceled)